Chelli believe me I have a new found respect for myself!!! I am only actually being woken once a night now (sometimes twice) for a 10 minute feed so I can't really complain of tiredness. I found it more tiring trying to entertain Fin at home than sticking to the normal playdates and toddler groups. The worst thing is trying to get ready each morning for set times though... I rely more on Fin's goodwill these days.

It's my abdominal muscles that have a 3-finger gap between them. They are supposed to meet in the middle but mine haven't done that in a long time. You can tell if they don't meet because when you do a sit up you get a strange ridge form down the middle of your tummy.

I wouldn't worry too much about the sudden increase in your fundal height measurement if a different midwife did it. They all do it slightly differently, and you'll probably find yourself back on track next time your regular midwife does it x

I agree with Everything Chelli The fundal height thing is how they used to measure growth before scans and it isn't really that accurate. I think its ok to measure a couple of weeks either way anyway but if your midwife was in anyway concerned over your babies growth she would have referred you for a scan so I really wouldn't worry (not that scans are all that accurate - look at my 'huge' baby, lol).

They do all measure it differently too - I've had some that haven't even been near me with a tape measure and have just said 'hmm, that's about right for X weeks'.

Everything I'm struggling with not being able to get Maia to her usual baby groups. She's never liked being in the house all day but I can't either drive or walk far at the moment and although my OH is off work he has man flu so has been sleeping on the sofa as much as anything, lol. I'm really looking forward to getting back into doing things but it will be a while for me yet. My mum arrived yesterday though so the next few days should be a bit easier at least.

Maia had a lovely birthday. We couldn't do so much as I had to wait in for the midwife but she got some awesome presents and had a great time playing with them all

Unfortunately after a good start recovering from my section I've not been feeling so great the past couple of days and yesterday I was diagnosed with a uterine infection Its been pretty tough with a hungry newborn, a boisterous (though lovely) toddler and a hubby with man flu but I'm on antibiotics now and I know it will only be for a short time. I do love my little family loads

How do you manage with Fin around Dex, in terms of making sure he's gentle and careful so he doesn't hurt him.

Maia adores her brother and would never hurt him intentionally but she's like a little whirlwind and crashes around clumsily bless her.

Yesterday when I was changing Logan's nappy she came and sat on his head (not fully, she just caught the top of it) and later on when I was changing him she came walking over on her knees and kneed him in the head

I really shouted at her and she collapsed in heaps of tears I feel really bad about it but I panicked with her being so big and Logan being so small and helpless.

I've tried explaining to her that he's small and delicate at the moment and I would like her to be around him but need her to just be careful. I seem to be getting nowhere though.

everything so glad youve healed so well I had a 5 finger gap after M but pilates did the trick – so Im hoping I can do the same after M2!

Chelli Michaels measuring 3 weeks ahead consistently - hopefully our little ones arent too big lol! Im going to mw tmro and if hes still ahead Im going to ask for a growth scan as my consultant said if I go into labour naturally they wouldn’t do a section...I’m not doing a v birth to a big baby no way! Lordy my bodys enough of a mess!

Bless re big siblings...I must say Im worried about that too! M loves playing with dolls eyes at the mo?! Bit nervous about what she'll do with Michael! Shes so little to explain things too as well

Sorry for delay Star, my mum went and introduced me to this 'Wordament' game and I've been playing it so much over the last few days that I've not been on B&B!

Fin generally is very gentle, however, all toddlers run about and sometimes do daft things just because they don't really understand. I found Fin crouched over Dex on his playmat a few weeks back, sitting on his head!! I don't think his full weight was on him but I panicked when I saw him and really shouted at him ("what the hell do you think you are doing?!" I think were my exact words!). He jumped straight up and looked so scared of me, I felt terrible. That is the only incident so far in 8 weeks *touch wood.*

I'm constantly telling Fin that he needs to be gentle with baby Dexter because he's smaller than him. Me and OH have a rule not to leave them alone together, but in reality there are always going to be odd moments where it happens (the above incident happened when we had all been in the kitchen together, then Fin was helping me in the utility room to put clothes in the dryer. I hadnt really even noticed that he'd wandered off and I didn't feel like I had left Dex because he was only just out of sight and not far away at all.

Since that happened, I never leave Dexter on the floor if I leave reaching distance of him. I don't let Fin wear shoes in the house ever. And I'm just constantly reminding him that he has to be gentle with Dex... for instance, yesterday he was going around 'knocking' on everything and saying "knock knock" as he did it like knocking on a door but doing it on everything including on me. He was getting heavy handed because he was excited about it and he hurt me a bit knocking on my head... so I said to him that he could knock on objects like the floor and doors and the sofa etc but he could not knock on people, and he definitely must not knock on baby Dexter because he is only little.

I'm sure there will be other incidents in the future, and we can't prevent every little thing. In some ways the minor things are perhaps a good thing because we can use them to set boundaries to perhaps prevent any more serious things. Apparently babies are a lot more sturdy than they appear so I'm sure they will be ok but it is worrying

Well I thought things were settling down because we got through yesterday incident free but Maia's made up for it today bless her. She's managed to kick Logan, elbow him in the head and throw a bath toy into his head when he was in the bath and she decided to be kind and throw some toys in for him Bless her she never means to do anything to him but... arrgh!!

In other news I'm not feeling so good today. I'm feeling kind of fluey and my scar is weeping again. I have a horrible feeling my course of antibiotics haven't stopped my infection and it'll be back to the doctors Monday Im hoping the fluey feeling is just from being over tired and a bit of sleep will cure it but not sure about the weeping scar. I don't think it always signals infection but I didn't have any weeping after having Maia so I have no idea what is normal discharge from a wound and what isn't

Chelli I don't have any extra suggestions for your hospital bag other than what you get on the standard lists. In fact I found it went the other way - I didn't use half of what I took in.

With Maia I took a hair dryer which I wasn't allowed to use (I think its something to do with the hospitals electrical appliance testing policy or something) and make up I could never be bothered to put on. I left these things out of my bag when I had Logan and stuck to essentials so I could keep clean and stay comfortable.

One tip I do have is don't expect to be having your baby and getting back into your pre pregnancy clothes. Don't get me wrong, occasionally it happens but most of us are leaving hospital still looking about 6 months pregnant so pack maternity/oversized clothes to wear home and maternity PJ's.

When I had Maia a friend who had a baby a couple of weeks before pinged back to a size 12 so I wrongly assumed I would. I had to send DH home to get me PJ's that fit, lol.

Chelli you may remember I am a last minute bag packer I put the last few bits together for baby's bag while having contractions. The only thing I took that doesn't appear on conventional lists is flip flops for the shower... and I didn't have one 2nd time around anyway as I went home the same day I had him, and could only strip wash as I was numb from the spinal block from when they did stitches.

I, like Star, think the lists are a little over the top. I travel very light, I don't bother with fans and stuff like that. I like to make sure I've got a little chocolate / crisps junk food treat snack because hospital food isn't always the best, haha! I also agree forget about pre-pregnancy clothes - I still looked 6 months pregnant 10 days after giving birth, but it's gone down quite nicely now (I'm still a stone heavier than pre-pregnancy but I look ok, have bought a size bigger jeans and I won't do anything about it until I've finished BFing. With Fin I lost it all naturally plus a little extra within a year or so.

Star I'm sorry you're having problems with your scar and feeling poorly I don't know how much weeping is normal but I hope it isn't infected.

I just saw your other thread Star asking for advice about how to handle over zealous 2 year old with baby! One thing I would say is that at 2 Maia will understand being gentle, being careful - they understand a huge amount. Unfortunately at 2 they have the attention span of a fish and easily forget how to be gentle, quiet etc when they are playing or excited!

As with everything, if you feel you're saying 'no' too much, try to pick your battles. Elbows and kicks to the head, and anything that makes baby cry are not ok and you shouldn't feel bad when you tell Maia 'no' for these things - you are setting boundaries and she will learn from your guidance. Over-zealous rocking and knocking a little when she leans in to kiss baby are ok and I would say try to bite your tongue if instinct tells you otherwise. Anything that Fin does where intentions are kind, I usually will not pull him up on it but if I do think its too much (like rocking hard) I will say something like "Aah that's so nice of you rocking your brother, I think he would like it if you did it a little slower." I have found, though, that Dexter actually likes Fin rocking him harder than I would do it!

I don't know if you already do it, but you can also counteract the "tellings off" by encouraging good interaction. I have Fin sit up straight on the sofa, put a cushion right next to his legs and then lie Dexter across him so his bum is on Fin's lap and head on the cushion. I obviously supervise, but Fin loves being able to have Dex on his lap, and he holds his hand... so cute. I tell him what a good big brother he is and that baby Dex loves sitting with him.

As someone said in the other thread, it will get better and especially so when you are more mobile and able to take Maia to more playgroups to use up some of her energy

Just checking in. Glad to hear the little ones are doing well. I wouldn't worry too much about the knocks and over enthusiastic hugs your newborns are getting, I think the time to worry would be if they were doing it deliberately!!! One of my nct pals just had her second DS and she fell asleep with him on her chest and woke to the sound of a thud which was his head cracking against the wooden floor. He fractured his skull in 2 places at 6 days old. Once the drs worked out that she and her husband are not child abusers they were sent home, ds's head will apparently repair on its own once the fluid has gone down. Scary stuff for her though!!

All well with me, joey is an absolute delight at the moment, he really is. Very occasional tantrums but in the main he is just lovely company, engaging and so bright.

Im on cd1. We are due to start ivf next cycle. I have an appointment to teach me how to inject myself etc on 8th April then I start injecting on cd2 for about 10 days before egg collection. We are just trying to decide whether to transfer 1 or 2 embryos, assuming there are 2 of good enough quality on day 5. Exciting but very daunting and so much to think about filling in all the forms...

v interesting to hear about sibling clumsiness - I am a little nervous about it but time will tell hope things settle soon star and with your scar too bless you sounds awful x

captain good luck for the ivf - keeping my fingers crossed for you guys - must be daunting - a big step forward hopefully!

everything i totally agree re the feeling pg after - ugh....oh to have a tummy tuck at the same time as section lol!!

major refurb going on here...were getting there tho yey! we figure as long as the really messy dusty stuff is done before \Michael arrives then were good and dont really have to move rooms until near October time when he'll be 6 months - need to get Marthas room redecorated and carpeted before then (our current bedroom)

2nd isofix base gets done tmro, i need to wash the car seat then that will be ready - wonder what Martha will think about this random car seat appearing - shes quite funny about the back of the car its her territory lol

shes just gone to my folks for the next few hours she was so excited to see them so very cute!!! Love her so much shes the bees knees! I do worry about what shes going to think about Michael and how she'll adapt - eek!

Been having period cramps and braxton hicks since saturday but had a break from them yest which was nice - I had them from 38 weeks I think with Martha and still needed to be induced so Im presuming they arent actually doing anything progress wise lol!

have ordered 2 baby jake dvds and one sesame street - just think they may come in handy in the next couple of months - if Martha needs to be distracted or something - she only watches 10 mins of tv a day at the mo when we eat our tea lol but the next few weeks are going to be different arent they so I figure a little more tv wont harm

waterworks have been fine since Michael dropped = woo hoo - hopefully they will stay that way! Got mw app on thursday

have booked a cleaner for a blitz on monday and then I think for 1-2 hours a week for the next couple of months - we cant afford it but I think it will be worth it - I havent been able to clean the house thoroughly recently and dh is too busy working and then working on the house when he gets home - think it will just lift the spirits a little to know I dont have to worry about cleaning on top of recovering and looking after 2 little ones

well Id best pop in the shower while I have the chance and then crack on... so much to fit in and Im so slow at the mo

oo Im 12 stone so Ive pretty much put on 2 stone - quite pleased with that - lordy I had 4.5 stone to lose after Martha so it'll be nice to not have that much to lose! My goodness my stretch marks tho....much worse than Martha but then my bumps bigger (randomly considering Im 2 stone lighter?!)

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